1. Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the invention are related to beverage storage cabinets, specifically storage cabinets for holding beverage containers, such as wine bottles, or any other type of bottles. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments of the invention describe a storage cabinet enclosure including beverage support bars with lighting elements, a front wall surface with a one-way mirror, sidewall surfaces with full mirrors or light boxes, and a back wall surface with a full mirror for presenting and enhancing an infinity effect reflection of a repeated succession of items that appear to recede rearward behind the back wall surface. Embodiments of the invention may also vary the infinity effect by one or more of varying the intensity of enclosure lights if an ambient light exterior to the enclosure is dim, or bright, to adjust the internal light intensity to remain relatively brighter than the external light to produce or enhance the infinity effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, beverage storage cabinets, such as wine cellars, include insulated walls with cooling elements that may store beverage bottles over a prolonged period of time. Many beverage storage cabinets most often include a glass door or display to view the true number of stored beverage containers. In addition, some glass doors or displays allow exterior lighting to enter that may hinder the viewing ability of one or more viewers and may hinder the prolonged storage of beverage containers by damaging the quality of the beverages. Traditionally, beverage storage cabinets, such as wine cellars, include racks to store the wine bottles and lighting that generally illuminates the cellar to view the contents of the wine cellar as a whole. Most often, distinguished beverage storage cabinets differ in their structure, material and designs.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,254,952 to Lilke, entitled “Modular Wine Cellar and Wine Storage System”, discloses a wine storage system including a frame and members to form a three-dimensional array of compartments in rows and columns, and cooling elements within the system for cooling the wine bottles. Lilke, however, appears to lack any teaching of a beverage storage cabinet including a one-way mirror, full mirrors opposing one another to present and enhance an infinity effect reflection of a repeated succession of items that appear to recede rearward behind a back wall surface. In addition, Lilke appears to lack any disclosure of beverage support bars with at least one light element to support beverage containers, and illuminate each beverage container. Furthermore, Lilke appears to lack any disclosure of a light sensor and controller that automatically brighten and/or dim interior lights if an ambient light exterior to the enclosure is dim and/or bright, respectively. Hence, with respect to Lilke as well as disclosed in the remaining references discussed herein, none of the references contemplate adjusting internal lighting to remain relatively brighter than external lighting to produce and/or ensure the infinity effect.
United States Patent Publication 2012/0159968 to Doucet et al., entitled “Compartmented Temperature and Humidity Controlled Modular Housing for the Storage and Preservation of Wine Bottles” discloses a temperature and humidity controlled housing to store wine bottles with front and rear temperature control chambers. Doucet et al., however, appears to lack any disclosure of a beverage storage cabinet including a one-way mirror, full mirrors opposing one another to present and enhance an infinity effect reflection of a repeated succession of items that appear to recede rearward behind a back wall surface. In addition, Doucet et al. appears to lack any disclosure of beverage support bars with at least one light element to support beverage containers, and illuminate each beverage container. Furthermore, Doucet et al. appears to lack any disclosure of a light sensor and controller that automatically dim and/or brighten interior lights if an ambient light exterior to the enclosure is dim and/or bright, respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,618 to Mullis, entitled “Display Apparatus That Forms An Optical Illusion” appears to disclose a display device with an interior area, a one-way mirror, and a back full mirror that may display multiple images as a reflection of one or more illuminated patterns from within an enclosure that extend rearward. Mullis also appears to disclose one or more spotlights that illuminate the interior of the enclosure. Mullis, however, appears to lack any disclosure of a beverage storage cabinet including full mirrors opposing one another to present and enhance an infinity effect reflection of a repeated succession of items that appear to recede rearward behind a back wall surface. In addition, Mullis appears to lack any disclosure of beverage support bars with at least one light element to support beverage containers, and illuminate each beverage container. Mullis also does not appear to contemplate temperature or humidity control and/or recording and/or monitoring. Furthermore, Mullis appears to lack any disclosure of a light sensor and controller that automatically dim and/or brighten interior lights if an ambient light exterior to the enclosure is dim and/or bright, respectively.
For at least the limitations described above there are no known beverage storage cabinets that include a one-way mirror, a full back mirror, and full side mirrors opposing one another to present and enhance an infinity effect reflection of a repeated succession of items that appear to recede rearward behind a back wall surface Furthermore, there are no known beverage storage cabinets that include a light sensor and controller that automatically dim and/or brighten interior lights if an ambient light exterior to the enclosure is dim and/or bright, respectively, again with respect to all references discussed herein, to adjust internal lighting to remain relatively brighter than external lighting to produce and/or ensure the infinity effect.